I’m glad James Gunn’s latest comments about one big Batman villain appear to confirm a major twist is on the horizon for the DC Universe version of the character. Though tied to prior releases originally from the DCEU timeline like The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1, the DC Universe’s own releases began in December 2024, meaning the franchise is very much still in its early days. While we’re currently at a stage where the DCU’s first movie – 2025’s Superman – hasn’t released yet, there’s already been plenty of exciting twists and turns along the road so far.

Despite being not much over a month into the DCU Chapter One release schedule, the franchise has killed off plenty of characters, and provided some teases with major implications for the future – such as showing us a sneak preview of the DCU Batman in Creature Commandos episode 6. However, one of the franchise’s current biggest moments regarding a major Batman villain seems set to look very different very soon, based on DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn’s most recent comments about the matter.

Clayface’s Creature Commandos Story Seemingly Ended With His Death

Clayface’s Fate Didn’t Look Very Promising

The DC Universe’s Clayface appeared in the first release in the franchise’s new main timeline, with the Batman villain playing a crucial role in the story of Creature Commandos. In Creature Commandos episode 5, it’s revealed that Clayface had killed Professor Aisla MacPherson, who had previously been shown in the series verifying that Circe’s vision of Princess Ilana bringing in a dystopian future seemed credible. While this leads Rick Flag Sr. to tell Waller that Circe’s vision wasn’t true, it’s later revealed Clayface was working with Ilana, helping to call Circe’s vision into question.

Shortly after Rick Flag Sr. and Eric Frankenstein discover Clayface, the duo end up locked in combat with the villain, allowing all three characters to show off their fighting skills – particularly Clayface, who uses his unusual body composition to great and lethal threat throughout the fray. That said, it’s Clayface who ends up looking the worst off of the three when all is said and done, as he’s blasted into chunks via Frankenstein’s clever use of some loose wires and their electric current.

Given we last saw Clayface in small bits and pieces, it seemed very possible that he was definitively dead for good in the DC Universe – particularly because Creature Commandos wasn’t afraid to kill another Batman villains in the series, offing Rupert Thorne literally the episode after what appeared to be Clayface’s messy execution. However, the nature of Clayface’s powers meant nothing was set in stone, and James Gunn’s newest comments certainly suggest the brutal ending to the fight was one the famous Batman foe can come back from.

James Gunn Has Teased Clayface’s Death Being Far Less Permanent Than It Looked

Gunn’s Comments All But Confirm The DC Universe’s Clayface Is Still Alive

On January 23, 2025, James Gunn was asked about whether Clayface was well and truly dead in the DC Universe on Bluesky, to which he replied: “The reports of Clayface’s death have been greatly exaggerated. He is quite mushy though.“ This more or less confirms that Clayface’s fate at the end of Creature Commandos wasn’t one that killed him off for good and wrote him out of the franchise, despite us last seeing him rendered into something more closely resembling hummus than a living breathing clay person.

That said, Gunn’s comments about him being “mushy” suggest the battle will have had some kind of impact on the villain, be it that he’s rendered a little more vulnerable for the time being after clawing himself together, or that he may not be able to simply put himself back together quite the same to start with. In the comics, Clayface’s body has split off into other beings before, and as such, there’s a lot of possibilities regarding the character’s DC Universe future after this fight, since building on this major defeat story-wise would only make sense.

Why Clayface’s Return In The DC Universe Is For The Best For The Franchise

Clayface is one of the biggest Batman villains in the Dark Knight’s roster, with many sublime comic stories focusing on his conflict with the Caped Crusader and his place in Gotham more broadly speaking. As a core part of the overall setup of many of the most iconic stories set in the DC city, getting rid of Clayface would’ve meant getting rid of a figure who could be used to great effect in future releases. Clayface has served as everything from a truly sinister monster to a well-intentioned ally of the Batfamily in the comics, and this places him in a good position to be useful in a wide range of different potential ways.

Similarly, setting up corners of Batman’s world in the build-up to The Brave & The Bold is definitely a useful approach, and this is arguably best done with a living Clayface in tow, since we’ve already now been introduced to him seemingly years before we’ll get to see the DCU Batman in his own film release. Allowing some Batman characters to be shown in the DCU well before this point helps to tease what the franchise’s Batman might be like, but also what kind of threats he might have faced and continue to face – which would”ve been undermined somewhat if Clayface had just immediately died for good.

I’m So Glad It Looks Like Clayface’s DC Universe Story Won’t End With His First Appearance

Clayface Has Too Much Potential To Be Permanently Killed Off So Soon

With the DC Universe’s release roster only being just over a month into being underway, I’m so glad to hear that Clayface’s first ever appearance in the franchise didn’t also immediately kill him off. While it would’ve been possible to potentially show more of the character in flashback sequences or the like, taking a major Batman character out of the equation so soon would’ve felt like a waste, particularly when you look at how iconic Clayface is as a villain, and that the upcoming Clayface movie could well be based in the main DCU timeline with this version of the character.

Killing Clayface off for good in his fight with Rick Flag Sr. and Eric Frankenstein would’ve meant the DCU had killed him in its third ever week of releases – with the Creature Commandos debut seeing episode 1 & 2 release on December 9 – and while this would’ve been a dramatic way to kick off things, it’s also one I don’t think would’ve ever been strictly necessary or worth the cost. Since Creature Commandos already had far bigger moments that worked to this effect, like introducing the DC Universe Batman, I’m relieved it seems Clayface will live to fight another day.